A number of gaming methods and apparatus provide a bonus feature. As used herein a bonus feature is a feature which provides a player with a desired item (typically, but not necessarily, a monetary prize) after at least some play of the main game. In some situations, a bonus is provided in response to achieving a outcome in the main game (such as by achieving one or more bonus results in the main game, accumulating a threshold number of points or credits in the main game, and the like. Bonusing may be provided in any of a plurality of types of main games such as slot machine games, electronic poker, blackjack or other electronic card games, electronic keno, bingo, item picking games and a plurality of other game types as a main game.
Although bonusing can be attractive both to players (e.g., because of the added interest and entertainment value associated with bonusing) and to game operators (e.g., because of the increased play or attractiveness associated with bonusing games), it is believed there is a potential for further development in bonusing, e.g., to further increase the entertainment value or interest associated with bonusing. For example, many types of bonusing occur substantially automatically, with substantially no opportunity for player interaction, such as bonusing which involves an award of a predetermined or randomly selected prize. Accordingly, it would be useful to provide a gaming apparatus and method having bonusing which provides for a degree of player interaction with the bonusing portion or feature.
Although it is believed interaction with a bonusing feature would be a useful component, when player interaction affects a type or amount of prize, there may be concerns that the resultant variability of the bonusing prize could undesirably diminish or undesirably increase the variability of overall (i.e., averaged over time) prize amounts and thus of game operator hold amounts (thus potentially affecting game operator profits). Furthermore, there may be some regulatory environments in which there are effective bounds on bonusing prizes and/or holds. Accordingly, it would be useful to provide a gaming apparatus and method permitting player interaction with bonusing in which the interaction can affect the bonus prize amount, while achieving bounds or controls on bonusing prizes, at least averaged over time.
At least some main (non-bonus) game portions have provided for a multiplier effect such as by providing certain main game results which result in multiplication of a main game prize. Bonus prizes, however, are typically provided in a non-multiplicative fashion. Accordingly, it would be useful to provide a bonusing feature which has potential for a prize multiplier.